Concert Feedback for Audience Members 27th June 2009 Douai Abbey, Woolhampton
The programme
Haydn – Creation
Summer Season 2009
Comments
3 responses to “Summer Season 2009”
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Hi,
Here is some feedback which I hope you will find constructive. Pardon the spelling which is not my strong point.The Abbey is a great place to both perform and to be in the audience. I really felt for the chorus as I believed they struggled to be properly heard over the orchestra and with their position placed so far back. I would have been thoroughly fed up if I were singing on Saturday. Their Ave Varum was a reward for having “slugged it out” all evening and although they were tired it sounded lovely and for me re enforced that the Abbey’s acoustics are better with a capella and light chamber music.
Part 3 of the work again for me is the most musical as I found the other sections quite heavy going apart from the three better known pieces – there seemed to be a lot of recitative so not so easy on my ear but I am a bit ordinary in terms of liking a tune – Haydn is probably my favourite composer perhaps this was one of his more serious pieces.
The soloists were very good indeed – again the tenor at times could not do justice to his lovely voice against the orchestra. His opening in part 3 was excellent and I could hear him which was a great pleasure. The soprano and base were also excellent and maybe their arias etc were able to rise above the orchestra just because of the nature of the arrangements etc. The trios and duets were great. Congratulations to Janet for keeping the whole thing on track – it was quite a big ask and against the difficulties I have mentioned she did really well.
The orchestra was fine but just a little too assertive at the expense of the singing.
I did enjoy the evening but I would not go back to it again for reasons stated.
Yours in good faith
Sarah Ballard -
As with the previous reviewer, I felt that the venue did not do justice to the talent and hard work of the choir.
At the end, as at the Christmas concert, I found myself feeling so sorry for the poor men who had to watch the ladies receiving gifts while they received nothing. So discriminatory, have you not heard of sex discrimination legislation? -
To view the Newbury Weekly News concert review click here.
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